Engineering professor and big data expert featured in Crain's Detroit Business article on big data and analytics

February 1, 2016

"Ten years ago, only a handful of universities nationwide offered big data/analytics degree programs, said Ratna Babu Chinnam, a professor and co-director in the big data and business analytics group at Wayne State University. Now nearly 100 schools are enhancing data-related curriculums, adding undergraduate and graduate degrees and offering certificates for working professional or graduate students wanting to augment other degrees.

Chinnam, who also is director of WSU's global executive Ph.D. program and supply chain research group, adds his own local observation to those numbers: "From what I hear, some ... are willing to offer $110,000-$130,000 to fresh graduates, depending on their skills, but they aren't able to attract them because these graduates are getting better salary offers elsewhere. It is another reason we need better programs." He added that there are nearly 1,000 job openings for analytics professionals within 100 miles of Detroit alone.

For its part, Wayne State plans to offer a master's degree in big data and business analytics by fall 2016, Chinnam told Crain's early last year. The board of governors in March will review the proposed degree that, if approved, would create a "comprehensive and holistic" program."